Buck Pierce is talented, by all accounts a good teammate, and he’s one of the toughest players on the field.

That last point is particularly impressive given how protected quarterbacks are in the modern-day.

Pierce is the kind of fearless competitor that I don’t doubt would have played at a high level in the era when quarterbacks got hit like every other type of offensive player.

Even opposing teams have to respect his style of play. This is a type of player that is a dying breed.

That being said, I can’t get behind GM Wally Buono’s decision to trade for the perpetually injured signal caller.

Far be it from me to criticize one of the greatest general managers in the history of sports, and certainly the greatest CFL coach of all time, but I don’t quite understand the rationale for re-acquiring the 32-year-old quarterback.

The mantra, with regards to Pierce, used to be “he’s young. Sure he’s been injured a lot, but he’s got so much talent. If he can just stay healthy for a while…”.

32 is not young for a football player, especially one that has been injured for a great deal of his career. Yes, Pierce is talented, but it’s hard to be at the top of one’s game when you are consistently dealing with injuries. That affects a players in-game performance as well as his ability to progress, skill-wise.

Just how many injuries has Pierce had at the CFL level?

Is that another head injury Buck? (Photo: winnipegfreepress.com)

Buck Pierce has been forced to leave 23 of 60 career starts with injury, and 26 games total.

This includes three head injuries, three right elbow injuries, five injuries to his right knee, five injuries to his right shoulder, and several other miscellaneous leg, foot, rib and hand injuries.

This isn’t quite as scary as suffering repeated concussions (only two of his head injuries has been officially listed as a concussion, for whatever that’s worth). However, Pierce has injured and re-aggravated the same parts of his body repeatedly.

I can understand wanting to have a veteran back-up quarterback

Buck Pierce has to decide at a certain point that his own well-being is more important than playing another year or two.

Dave Dickenson decided against continuing his career, and has moved into coaching. Judging by the impact that Pierce has on his teammates, I don’t think a potential coaching position down the line would be out of the question.

As far as Buono is concerned, by trading for Pierce he may have set himself up well to have first shot at Buck Pierce, coaching assistant.

But in making the trade, which sent disappointing import receiver Akeem Foster to Winnipeg and brought Pierce back to B.C., Wally Buono has taken ownership of the later stages of this injury-plagued quarterback’s career.

I have moderated my criticism here out of respect for Mr. Buono, but I hope that he did some serious soul-searching before agreeing to sign off on this deal.

I for one will be holding my breath whenever number 11 takes the field.

]]>http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/lions/buck-pierce-returns-to-bc-13913/feed/0Who will play on the Canucks third line?http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/canucks/who-will-man-the-vancouver-third-line-13913/
http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/canucks/who-will-man-the-vancouver-third-line-13913/#respondSat, 14 Sep 2013 05:33:49 +0000http://www.nwsportsbeat.com/?p=65652What reset?

Seldom has a team’s roster been changed so little yet produced so much pre-season uncertainty. That’s precisely where the Canucks roster stands, with few new additions, some significant subtractions, and a new decision maker with a plethora of mediocre options at his disposal.

Fans expect something to be done on the blue-line before the regular season begins, but it’s likely that the Canucks roster has the basic configuration that it will for the near future at the forward position.

Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler and David Booth all figure to be in the top six. It is in the bottom six that most of the question marks remain:

How many young players will stick with the big club?

How many journeymen will make the big club?

Will there be any more additions?

What skills will be emphasized in these open spots?

To me, the most interesting part of the roster is the third line because there are so many numbers of ways that coach John Tortorella could take the team.

Lets take a look at some of the top choices Torts could make about the perpetually perplexing third line.

The scoring line – Chris Higgins, Jordan Schroeder, Jannik Hansen

This line has some major benefits. First, it would take some of the scoring heat off of the second line.

It’s still not clear whether David Booth can be counted on to provide consistent offense or whether Ryan Kesler will fully return to his all-star form.

There is something to be said for a balanced roster that can roll four lines, and this would be a good way to attempt that. This combination would be a fast skating line with a good balance of offensive ability, defensive responsibility, and a bit of sandpaper.

The downside to having this kind of a third line is that Schroeder is a small forward who is not known for his defensive game.

Also, the fact that he is centering the third line would obviously mean that he is not playing a tremendous offensive game as a second line winger.

Perhaps that would be the best case scenario, with Schroeder chipping in offensively while a bigger, tougher forward could center the third line.

The safe line – Chris Higgins, Brad Richardson, Jannik Hansen

This is perhaps the most “conventional” third line option currently available to the Canucks.

So just who will be on the third line anyways?

Richardson in theory could provide some offense, although he has yet to really do that consistently at the NHL level.

Richardson is a good skater who offers some grit, some toughness and some valuable checking line experience.

This is more than likely the most defensively responsible option at third line for the Canucks.

I think the job is Richardson’s to lose, and the decision may come down to the chemistry between the long-time Canucks and the new centre.

The “beat-em-up” line – Jannik Hansen, Brendan Gaunce, Zack Kassian

I don’t think this is the route they should, or would, go.

I just like the idea of a 6’2, 200lb face-off machine at centre with a 6’3, 215lb power forward on his right wing with a pesky forward who can skate like the wind on his left.

This would be a very intriguing line if both Gaunce and Kassian can improve their skating, but there is virtually zero chance of seeing this line in 2013 due to Gaunce’s slow foot speed.

I’d like to see the team at least try this line in training camp to see if they can keep up speed-wise.

It will be fascinating to see, and ultimately indicative of how Tortorella is going to coach in the future, if he goes with the “scoring” line or the “safe” line.

The wildcard for this team is going to be Jordan Schroeder. As he goes, so do the Canucks.

This is a different chapter in Vancouver Canucks history. We are in a cap-restricted, John Tortorella era, and there are now different types of players that will need to contribute.

Who will rise to the occasion in 2013?

Jordan Schroeder

Jordan Schroeder has comparable numbers to Ryan Kessler at this point in his career.

The diminutive forward has so far posted numbers that compare favorably to Ryan Kesler’s numbers from a similar point in his career. In the final 33 games with Manitoba before his NHL call-up, RyanKesler scored 11 points. In his final AHL stint before his NHL call-up, JordanSchroeder scored 33 points in 42 games.

Kesler scored 5 points in 28 games during his call-up, and Schroeder scored 9 points in 31 games during his.

We also have to consider the Tortorella factor here.

The new Canucks bench boss has no problem playing hard-working, younger forwards in place of expensive veterans when the vets aren’t getting the job done. Expect Schroeder to get much more of an offensive opportunity under Tortorella than he would have gotten under Alain Vigneault.

Schroeder could slot in on the second or third line. This year will have to be the year he makes it, or else we may see another player-for-player swap like the Hodgson-Kassian trade.

Brad Richardson

Brad Richardson is a difficult player to gauge because his role on the team may depend on Schroeder’s role. If Schroeder is used as a third line centre, Richardson will be a fourth line energy guy.

If Schroeder is given an offensive opportunity, we can expect the third line to consist of Chris Higgins, Brad Richardson, and Jannik Hansen.

Richardson has some offensive skill, although he hasn’t been used much in an offensive role. The combination of Richardson, Higgins and Hansen is exciting because all three of those players have some skill, can skate and are defensively responsible.

They all have grit.

They are all the type of players who just barely lack the skill to be consistent offensive contributors but have much more skill than the average bottom six forwards.

I can see such a combination becoming one of the better third lines in the league.

Nicklas Jensen, Brendan Gaunce, Zack Kassian

Zack Kassian provides a physical element and a deterrent on the ice .

This is the fourth line that I would most like to see the Canucks start the season with in 2013. While I would rather see Kassian get big time offensive minutes, my experience as a fan has led me to temper my expectations.

It might seem at first glance somewhat wasteful to put three young players with potential on the fourth line, but there is a precedent and I have a theory here. Hear me out.

Last season the Ottawa Senators used a very young fourth line consisting of Cory Conacher, Erik Condra and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. They played key minutes on special teams and produced points in the playoffs.

The Senators were a more well-rounded team than those playing one-dimensional goons, and this gave them a competitive advantage.

Brendan Gaunce is a good face-off man, something every team always needs. It’s not a stretch to envision the rookie killing penalties alongside a veteran like Alex Burrows or Jannik Hansen.

Zack Kassian provides a physical element and a deterrent on the ice to those who would seek to run the Sedins. He has shown a willingness to drop the gloves as well, as to hit anything that moves. Kassian provides the grit of Dale Weise while adding scoring touch.

Jensen has some of these qualities, although to a lesser degree and with a bit more skill. All three youngsters have size and will only get stronger as the season goes on. This option also has the added benefit of creating chemistry and familiarity among line-mates that could continue into a viable top six line in the future.

I would be excited to see a roster consisting of these line combinations, as it would mean the Canucks are, in a strange way, more rounded than they have been in years.

No more games where the third line is without an identity, and the fourth line leads to panic attacks for Canucks fans.

In the NFL the record amassed by the BC Lionswould be a cause for concern. Thankfully for Travis Lulay and company, they compete in a much smaller league where more teams make the post-season and it’s much easier to make up ground in the standings.

The 2013 BC Lions are still a confounding team.

The most consistent thing about their play has been the problems: big plays allowed on defense, a lack of balance on offense, and short-yardage futility. Play in general has been very inconsistent, and this trickles down to the individual level.

Let’s take a look at who I’m bullish about, and who I’m concerned with as the Lions move forward.

The Bulls

Khreem Smith

Khreem Smith can’t really be called an underrated player anymore. He may not be a household name like Adam Bighill or Solomon Elimimian, but he has been the most consistent defensive lineman for the Lions this season. Many fans pegged him to be a breakout player, but I don’t think anyone expected the type of season he’s turned out so far.

Khreem Smith (bclions.com)

Smith is the highest ranking Lion in sack numbers, with 5. That is good for sixth in the league, tied with Edmonton’s Odell Willis. The scary thing about that fact is that the sack numbers don’t accurately portray just how disruptive Smith has been.

He has been held without a sack in a few games, but in those games he was a constant threat bouncing around in the opposing backfield.

Henry Burris sees Khreem Smith in his nightmares.

Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill

Anything that I write in praise of these two players will be painfully obvious, so I’ll just throw out some numbers and let you do with them what you will.

Bighill ranks sixth in the league in tackles with 45, and Elimimian just behind him at seventh with 42. Elimimian has 1 sack, 2 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles. Bighill has 4 sacks and 60 fumble recovery yards.

It’s a good system: Elimimian lays out the ball carrier, and Bighill springs into action to scoop up the fumble.

Cord Parks

I think it’s safe to say that the B.C. Lions “won” the Khalif Mitchell trade.

Cord Parks has been Mr. Everything in his first season with the Lions. He’s made some tough tackles that many corners wouldn’t make, including 7 tackles this past week against Hamilton. While it’s not a good sign for the Lions defense that a corner leads the team in tackles, it’s a testament to the kind of energy that Parks brings to the Lions secondary.

It also helps that he’s currently tied for the CFL lead in interceptions, with 3.

Nick Moore

Nick Moore has been the Lions’ most consistent receiver this year. Expect him to be the go-to guy as the Lions approach the playoffs.

His only problem: one touchdown on the season. This needs to improve.

Shawn Gore

Gore has emerged from a crowded group of talented receivers to establish himself as the touchdown generator of the team. While he may only have 20 catches on the season, he has 6 touchdowns through nine games.

The Bears

Jabar Westerman

I still have high hopes for Jabar Westerman. I’ve been hoping with every passing week that he would step up and make a big play. Aside from his one interception, it just hasn’t happened. The former top draft pick is going to have to step up his game and create some pressure.

Here’s to hoping he gets better as he gets used to the Lions defensive system and playing on the interior of the defensive line.

Keron Williams

Its tough to put Williams here because he has been getting pressure and having some good games. The problem is, we’re used to all-star performances from him and he’s currently at half the sack totals of backup Brandon Jordan, with 2 to Jordan’s 4.

Lin-J Shell

Shell is a player that I enjoy watching. He has yet to make a big play this season and has yet to make an interception in two years as a Lion, and has 1 sack on the season.

He’s going to be lost in the shuffle if he doesn’t start making plays soon.

Let me know in the comments who you would put on your list of over and underachieving Lions.

It’s an open secret that they generally consist of misleading statements, boilerplate talking points and other untruths. That said, they are the only way to assess the stated goals of an organization and its general manager.

While it may be a less than credible medium for relaying information, we can take a look at Mike Gillis press conferences to judge whether or not his stated goals translate into trades, signings, and on-ice strategy. Can we trust Mike Gillis press conferences?

A good place to start would be…at the start. The introductory press conference.

For most casual fans this was their first impression of Mr. Gillis. While he spoke in the stock sports manager parlance, he did seem to be a departure from Dave Nonis because he stated some controversial opinions. Unfortunately for both Gillis and Vancouver Canucks fans, the part of this particular press conference that is most often remembered is also the part that has the least long-term relevance to the team.

Gillis stated that: “[The Sedins] are front-line players but I don’t know if they’re players that the team will be built around going forward.”

This was both lauded as an honest evaluation of current players on the roster as well as criticized from a morale-building standpoint. Even if you don’t think a player is vital to the long-term health of the team, you don’t say that publicly. This has become a continuing theme with Gillis.

Gillis-isms

He doesn’t seem to know when to keep certain beliefs or plans to himself. We’ll return to this point later.

Several other key points that were made during this press conference were forgotten altogether.

Gillis was correct to state that the forward group needed to change, and several of his additions (Chris Higgins, Maxim Lapierre, etc.) went on to fix what Gillis identified as team deficits: grit, toughness, competitiveness.It’s debatable whether Gillis was correct in saying the team he inherited was “not even close” to being a Stanley cup contender.

Gillis also honestly confessed that he had no pre-conceived beliefs, and that everything was under review.

If there is one thing that even Gillis haters will recognize, it’s that he has left no stone unturned when it comes to seeking competitive edges. You know the examples: sleep doctors, sports psychologists, etc.

He was one of the first GM’s to use the offer sheet process to sign a restricted free agent when he targeted David Backes.

He hasn’t shaken up the scouting staff to the extent that most fans would like, but there has been a top to bottom culture change in Vancity.

The place where Mike Gillis really fell apart in communicating his stated goals was the Luongo situation.

I think we can consider this somewhat of an aberration, as his other press conferences were generally fairly predictive of what he was aiming to accomplish.

Mike Gillis’ honesty has gotten him some notoriety in VanCity

In stating that Cory Schneider was “the guy” and that they greatly desired to move Roberto Luongo, Gillis torpedoed his own leverage and telegraphed what he wished to do in such a way that he made his job more difficult.

If anything Gillis was too honest and open with us, and this highlighted his greatest professional failure: the Luongo-Schneider situation.

Much like his opinion about Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin not being “foundational” players, by naming Cory “the guy” and expressing a desire to trade Luongo as soon as possible, Gillis failed to leave well enough alone and in doing so may have set the organization back significantly.

What does this mean for the 2013 Vancouver Canucks?

In his most recent end of season press conference, Mr. Gillis stated a desire to get bigger, tougher, and younger at the forward position.

We can call this an honest statement, as the Canucks are likely to play one or two young forwards this season, but really this is a matter of spin more than strategy.

The Canucks are caught in a cap crunch, and players like Jordan Schroeder, Bo Horvat, Brendan Gaunce, or Nicklas Jensen will have to be part of the picture moving forward if the Canucks want to ice a competitive team within the confines of a shrunken salary cap.

As with most things, the old dictum of “trust, but verify” holds true.

Gillis has done a good job of communicating with fans. In fact, he has done much better than many general managers, and the few occasions where he has been too open have been self-destructive.

In the past I have offered advice to Mike Gillis on how to communicate with you. I would like to offer you some advice as well.

Why? Well, let’s say I have some stake in the outcome and stand to benefit if this relationship can be repaired.

I’d like to offer you a few pointers regarding your recent interview with James Duthie of TSN.

Tip #1: When someone in the mainstream media or Canucks press asks you if you’re going to show up to do your job, don’t reply “well, I guess I have to”.

This doesn’t exactly connote the kind of drive and integrity that we as Canadians expect of our athletes. You are an Olympic gold medalist. Act like one. If you feel slighted, your response should be defiance. The best motivator in the world is the doubt of others.

You are regressing back into the sulking version of yourself that nobody could relate to. I thought that guy had grown up.

People root for an underdog, but they love a comeback story.

They roll their eyes at self-pity.

Tip #2: Don’t use double-speak.

It doesn’t help matters when you say “I have a contract, I plan to honor it” and then add that you’ve entertained every conceivable way not to honor your contract with Vancouver. You also threw your teammates under the bus when you stated that you would be willing to play for less money somewhere else if could void your contract.

You realize that by implication you’re saying that you don’t think you have a good opportunity to win here? If you’re willing to play for less money that means you think you would have a much better chance to win a cup elsewhere.

That means either that you doubt your teammates ability to win, or that you doubt your ability to make this situation work.

Tip #3: This isn’t me against the world.

You signed a contract of your own free will. Nobody stands to benefit if you drag your heels. If you play well and hold up your end of the deal, you stand to benefit as much as the Canucks do.

They kept you because you’re a world class goaltender. You were correct to admit that you need to prove that you are still great.

You owe it to the man paying you millions of dollars to play a game for a living. You also need to play well to increase your trade value and get the change of scenery you originally wanted. You need to get over your hurt feelings for your sake as much as for Gillis and Aquilini’s. Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.

When someone asks you if you’re going to show up to do your job, don’t reply “well, I guess I have to”.

Tip #4: You aren’t the general manager.

You said: “I was just trying to figure out the reasons why a decision like that would be made, especially without consulting me, that’s a pretty big move I thought to make without having an input from the guy you are going to put your trust in.”

Sometimes I don’t think you fully comprehend the implications of what you are saying. That seems odd to me, considering this was a pre-planned interview with your favorite interviewer.

You actually managed to criticize the general manager for assuming that you were mature and had thick skin. You are criticizing Mike Gillis and Francesco Aquilini for doing their jobs, and for assuming that you are the professional that they have repeatedly said that you are.

If you didn’t think it was a safe assumption for those gentlemen to make, perhaps you should have corrected them one of the thousand times that they said “Roberto has been the consummate professional”.

You can’t have your cake, eat it too, and then expect everyone to constantly rave about your amazing eating habits.

I’ve been fairly critical here.

I understand why this isn’t the ideal situation. However, you hold some responsibility for your “sucky” contract, considering you didn’t take a hometown discount like most everyone else on this team.

So suck it up. Play great hockey. Win us a Stanley Cup. Win us a gold medal.

Make a statement of solidarity with LGBTQ people at the Olympic medal ceremony.

Then quietly sign off on whatever trade Mike Gillis gets you, even if it does mean you have to “go Gaborik” and waive your no-trade clause to go to a non-traditional hockey market.

If your attitude is “I don’t care how, just get me out fast”, even multi-millionaire beggars can’t be choosers.

The BC Lions sure aren’t making life easy for the people who cover them this season. It’s my job as a writer to never be at a loss for words, but that’s precisely the state that I was left in after this week’s heartbreaking 39-38 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.

This is the second week in a row that I have had to change up the manner in which I was going to cover the team, on account of the bizarre performance by this confusing organization.

It’s odd to say that an offense was terrible when they managed to put up 38 points. It’s also unusual to suggest that a defence was atrocious when it managed to keep an opposing quarterback to less than a 50 percent completion percentage, while also accumulating six turnovers.

Only 14 of the 38 points were scored off of touchdowns, both passes to Shawn Gore. Two points were scored off of a safety, and seven came off of a missed field goal returned by Tim Brown. The remaining 15 points were scored off of field goals. It’s inaccurate to judge the offense based on points alone.

Jacques Chapdelainehas to take the blame for the offense’s problems. He has taken some criticism in the past for a lack of imagination or conservative disposition when it comes to play-calling. This has never been more apparent than the 2013 season.

The Lions’ offense is stumbling at this point in the season.

The problem is not only that Chapdelaine is averse to risk-taking (a less-than-admirable quality for an offensive coach). He takes the wrong risks. This is a problem that I know all too well as a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. It’s as if Chapdelaine has been studying method to play Andy Reid in an upcoming biopic.

Early in the season, trick plays involving reverses and slotback runs to Shawn Gore and Marco Iannuzzi averaged around 10 yards per attempt. Chapdelaine became too tricky by consciously trying to not be too tricky.

He fell in love with the same few gadget plays and has run them over and over to the point that they no longer fool anybody. If he mixed things up a little more, perhaps those same plays might still be effective.

Another painful resemblance between this Lions team and Eagles teams of old is the profound impotence in short-yardage situations. Andrew Harris is a fine back, but he’s incapable of being the sledgehammer that ensures you get those tough 2, 3, 4-yard runs to move the chains.

The offense has been incapable of running out the clock even when it does manage to get a lead. For years this has been a main criticism of Andy Reid coached teams: lacking a short-yardage back and passing when you should be focusing on moving the chains and running down the clock.

Let’s continue the Eagles comparisons. New head coach Chip Kelly has stated that he will use statistics and matchups instead of trick plays and schemes when it comes to gaining an advantage over opposing defences.

This is something Chapdelaine’s offense has failed at in almost every respect this season.

The Lions offense made no noticeable adjustments for Montreal’s blitzes this week. This would normally be frustrating, but it is only magnified by the fact that the Lions have an incredibly deep pool of talented receivers. No adjustment was made to spread out the defense, and the Lions neither gained an advantage in the run game nor managed to find an open receiver.

Compare this to what Chip Kelly said in a recent interview of his approach to football, and how he plans to utilize 3 tight end sets to create matchup problems: “We are going to go three tight ends in a game. Now, if they go three linebackers, we spread them out and if they go DB’s, we smash you. So, pick your poison.”

That kind of thinking is tactical, it’s creative, but it’s not tricky for tricky’s sake and it’s not too cute.

The Lions need a fresh set of eyes on offense. They need a new pair of hands to work with the bounty of pliable clay the offense has to work with. Most importantly, they need a vision on offense. They need a philosophy, a point of view to direct the raw talent on the roster.

We’ve been hard on Travis Lulay, and questioned Mike Benevides. For now, I blame Jacques Chapdelaine.

Rick Rypien passed away two years ago this month. The former Canuck and Winnipeg Jet died of an apparent suicide after a long battle with depression.

On June 11, 2013 the federal Russian legislature passed a law banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”.

If you think these two events are not linked, you are mistaken.

Suicide is a leading cause of death for LGBTQ teens. Studies have found that LGBTQ youth are at least four times as likely as their heterosexual peers to attempt suicide. Suicide is a huge problem facing LGBTQ youth, as is homelessness. Up to 40% of the U.S. homeless population is LGBTQ and most cite family conflict as the reason they are homeless.

I’ve never been one for the Olympics. The event does however represent an opportunity for nations to come together and celebrate our common humanity by appreciating the best in human athletic achievement.

The Olympics have always been a political event. From the Moscow and LA boycotts to Tommie Smith and John Carol’s show of solidarity with the fight for African-American equality, to Jesse Owens four medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the event has been host to some iconic political statements.

The 2014 Olympics are scheduled to take place in Sochi, Russia. LGBT athletes and spectators will be at risk of persecution, particularly if they live an open life and refuse to hide their sexual orientation.

The Russian government has defended its law by claiming it does not violate the Olympics anti-discrimination requirement because, get ready for it: the law applies to everyone. The IOC has appallingly said that it is “satisfied” with this nonsense.

In response to the law, LGBT rights activists like Dan Savage and actor George Takei have backed a petition asking for the 2014 Olympics to move from Sochi to Vancouver. Vancouver holds a particularly dear place in Mr. Savage’s heart. He was first married to his husband Terry here, when same sex marriage was still illegal in his home state of Washington.

Most directly, the Canucks have embraced their LGBT fans and many players have marched in Vancouver’s pride parade, which is one of the largest such events in North America. More generally, the Canucks have also supported campaigns to end violence against women. They have a history of progressive social activism.

The Canucks have also been at the forefront of advocating for ending the stigma surrounding mental illness, as well as promoting treatment and check-ups.

They have promoted the website mindcheck.ca where you can learn about mental illness and get information if you think you are possibly suffering symptoms. The Canucks organization received an award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness in recognition of their contributions.

The Canucks need to continue their mental health advocacy by taking a stand against Russia’s anti-gay law. Unfortunately it is unlikely that the Olympics will be moved, as it would be a logistical nightmare.

The Canucks should, as an organization, come out in support of the sentiment expressed in this petition, and make an official statement that the organization and the city stand with LGBT people worldwide and not with the bigots.

The Russian law will have a very real effect, and that effect will be measured in the bodies of LGBT youth who will be committing suicide. If we are serious about promoting well-being and reducing suicide, supporting LGBT equality – especially in the face of a violent and fascistic opposition – is the place to start.

Thankfully several NHL players have spoken out against this disgusting law.

We are still waiting, however, on a Russian superstar like Alexander Ovechkin or Evgeny Malkin to speak out against it. Pavel Datsyuk has defended the law in a cowardly way by hiding behind the Russian Orthodox church, which has enthusiastically supported the insane propaganda used to support this law. Red Wings fans should keep this in mind when choosing what jersey to buy.

I’m a realist. I highly doubt the games will be moved to Vancouver. I also doubt that this law will be taken off the books any time soon. I do, however, think that the Russian government never expected this level of opposition, and any efforts ranging from the Olympic petition, the #DumpRussianVodka campaign, and other acts of non-violent resistance are having real, tangible effects. I think the Vancouver Canucks should make use of this terrible situation to further show solidarity with LGBTQ people and to further their advocacy for mental well-being.

Men’s ice hockey is the biggest event at the Olympics. Participants have a social responsibility for sharing in that spotlight and the privilege that it provides.

I hope, for the sake of LGBTQ people the world over, and for all of us as human beings, that Olympic athletes make a loud, clear, and unmistakable statement that we are all free and equal human beings deserving of the same rights and dignity.

Travis Lulay needs to step up and make use of the offensive weapons available to him. Yes, I’m also aware that Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill are superstars at the linebacker position.

I’m also well aware that the only B.C. kicker to have a better career than Paul McCallum was the original Vancouver “Lu”.

Set all of that aside for a moment. What did we learn about the rest of the roster in Saturday’s grudge match against the Stampeders?

The pass rush needs to step up

Khreem Smith had the definition of a clutch performance against the Stampeders. He was a consistent presence in the backfield and buzzed around like a mosquito, irritating Kevin Glenn throughout the game.

Unfortunately the Lions pass rush has not been as consistent throughout the season as Smith was in this game. It’s not like the Lions rushers lack talent. Eric Taylor has provided some pressure from the inside, but he’s more important on run defense and should not be the leading sack-getter for the Leos.

Keron Williams has had a presence as an interior and exterior pass rusher throughout the years and Jabar Westerman has done some good things too. Neither of them have been particularly impressive this season though.

The Lions contained the Stamps ground game this time around. (Photo: calgarysun.com)

Despite some flashes at times from the aforementioned, as well as special teams player Brandon Jordan, this season there really hasn’t been the kind of pressure that characterized the Leos defense in previous years.

It’s time for Smith to continue what he started this game, and for the other rushers to step up the way Smith did in this massive showdown with the Stampeders.

The offense needs to mix up the game plan

Travis Lulay has not made use of the weapons provided to him thus far this season. It’s always difficult to gauge whether this is primarily a function of Lulay’s play, or the play-calling of the coaching staff.

The Lions offense has been at its best so far this season when they mix up long and short passes, as well as handing the ball off several times to Andrew Harris. The offense works when many receivers get into the game.

It’s also at its best when players like Marco Iannuzzi and Shawn Gore get the ball in end-arounds and handoffs. I’d like to see Iannuzzi get at least 2-3 handoffs next game, and perhaps some more creative plays to kick-start the offense.

Lulay needs to gamble on some downfield throws, sprinkle in some screens and trick plays, and do what they can to keep the opposing defence guessing.

The defence has a gameplan

Despite only a limited pass rush best exemplified by Khreem Smith, this game did not resemble the opening game of the season, when the Stampeders put up over 40 points on the Lions defence.

Jon Cornish did not run wild all over the Lions defence, and they held the Stamps passing game in check just enough that the Stamps felt as if they had to rely on Cornish.

While the MOP candidate did average 4.8 yards per rush for his 73 yards, he did not top 100 yards in the game and 4.8 yards per looks pretty good when compared to the over 7 yards per carry he is averaging on the season.

Several key questions were answered by this past week’s performance. The defence has adapted and shut down a key player for the opposing offense.

At least two players stepped up to provide a pass rush. The few rushing attempts given to Gore and Iannuzzi continued to average over 10 yards per attempt.

Moving forward, it would be great to see more gambling on offense.

Perhaps this is the result of having a defence-minded head coach, but the offense has been far too conservative thus far. If the d-line won’t provide a pass rush, it’s time to turn to guys like Lin-J Shell to provide some pressures in creative ways.

Overall, the defense has been more consistent through the past two weeks. Now it’s time to tweak the offense and there’s no reason the Lions should not be among the top contenders come playoff time.

Let me know in the comments what you’re looking for the Lions to do moving forward.

Can Olympic participation be linked to NHL success in Olympic years? Is there a positive correlation, a negative correlation, or no relationship at all?

The question has always interested me. Perhaps participation in the Olympics wears a player out before the Stanley cup playoffs.

One of the issues related to undertaking this question is that not all Olympians are created equal. Sidney Crosby is not on the same level as Maxim Afinogenov, just as Jonas Gustavsson is no Roberto Luongo. For this reason we shall differentiate between “star” Olympians and “non-star” Olympians.

Unsurprisingly, there are more “star” Olympians on playoff teams.

Individual performance

Let’s take a year-by-year look at the Conn Smythe trophy, starting in 2002. The 2002 Olympics took place in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Conn Smythe winner in the 2002 Stanley cup playoffs was Nicklas Lidstrom.

Lidstrom was also a key player for team Sweden in the 2002 Olympics and played well despite in a disappointing tournament for Sweden. Lidstrom would go on to be instrumental in Sweden’s 2006 gold medal win and was named to that year’s all-star team.

So far, so good.

In 2006 the Conn Smythe winner – Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward – didn’t end up making Canada’s Olympic roster. Perhaps we can let that slide considering Ward was a rookie. He has since made the Olympic roster as a third goaltender.

Ward is the outlier in a pattern that we will see continuing into 2010, and perhaps can track heading in to Sochi.

Jonathan Toews was remarkable when he burst onto the scene.

The 2010 Conn Smythe winner was the Blackhawks Jonathan Toews, who had perhaps the best season of any player in the modern era. Toews played a tremendous two-way game prior to the Olympics.

He made the Canadian men’s ice hockey squad and from there helped his country to a home-ice gold medal performance. To top it all off, Toews was named best forward over such names as Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, and the Sedin twins.

Later in 2010 Toews won the Stanley cup with the Chicago Blackhawks and received a very deserved Conn Smythe trophy following a tremendous effort throughout the playoffs.

Two out of the last three Conn Smythe trophy winners were also big time Olympic contributors, and the one that was not was a young rookie who can be considered an outlier. So this seems to support that individual success links the Olympics and the Stanley cup playoffs.

But does the number of Olympians on a team predict playoff success?

Team Success

In 2010 the playoff teams averaged 5.312 Olympians per team while non-playoff teams averaged 4 Olympians per team. There was also a disparity between playoff teams with home ice advantage and those who began the post-season on the road.